Globally, the demand for donated organs outstrips supply, meaning that there are both practical and theoretical reasons for examining factors that are predictive of individuals' willingness to donate their organs upon their death.
Objectives
To determine whether individuals of different religious denominations living in Australia have different views on organ donation, whether donation attitudes differ significantly across ethnic groups, and whether factors identified in international research are predictors of willingness to donate and actual donor behavior in this population.
Participants
Data for this study were collected from students at an Australian university from a range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, and their friends and relatives (N = 509).
Intervention
Participants were administered the Organ Donation Attitude Scale, as well as additional attitudes and knowledge measures.
Main Outcome Measures
Self-reported “willingness to donate” and “donor behavior.”
Results
Our findings complemented those reported in comparable countries, with females, younger Australians, and those with high knowledge levels being more willing to donate than males, older persons, and those with low knowledge. Persons who described themselves as having stronger religious beliefs (particularly Buddhist and Islamic) held less favorable attitudes toward donation, had lower knowledge levels, and were more likely to oppose donation.
Conclusions
Although this study established that attitudes toward, knowledge about, and predictors of organ donation in Australia are similar to those reported elsewhere, donation rates remain low. Further in-depth research examining the impact of religion and culture on attitudes, beliefs, and behavior is essential when exploring strategies to improve organ donation rates in highly multicultural societies such as Australia.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
LindenPK. History of solid organ transplantation and organ donation. Crit Care Clin.2009;25(1):165–184.
2.
LawlorMKerridgeIAnkenyRBillsonF. Public education and organ donation: Untested assumptions and unexpected consequences. J Law Med.2007;14(3):360–366.
3.
MekahliDLiutkusAFargueSRanchinBCochatP. Survey of first-year medical students to assess their knowledge and attitudes toward organ transplantation and donation. Transplant Proc.2009;41(2):634–638.
4.
SanderSLMillerBK. Public knowledge and attitudes regarding organ and tissue donation: An analysis of the northwest Ohio community. Patient Educ Counsel.2005;58:154–163.
SiminoffLATrainoHM. Improving donation outcomes: Hospital development and the Rapid Assessment of Hospital Procurement Barriers in Donation. Prog Transplant.2009;19(2): 180–187.
7.
TallacchiniM. Defining an appropriate ethical, social and regulatory framework for clinical xenotransplantation. Curr Opin Organ Transplant.2008;13(2):159–164.
8.
ShihFJWangSSHsuRBWengHJChuSH. Concerns regarding organ donation from prisoners with death penalties: Perspectives of health professionals in Taiwan and Mainland China. Transplant Proc.2009;41(1):20–22.
9.
SurmanOSSaidiRBurkeTF. Regulating the sale of human organs: A discussion in context with the global market. Curr Opin Organ Transplant.2008;13(2):196–201.
10.
SpitalATaylorJS. Routine recovery: An ethical plan for greatly increasing the supply of transplantable organs. Curr Opin Organ Transplant2008;13(2):202–206.
11.
WakefieldCEWattsKJHomewoodJMeiserBSiminoffLA. Attitudes toward organ donation and donor behavior: A review of the international literature. Prog Transplant.2010;20(4): 380–391.
12.
BreitkopfCR. Attitudes, beliefs and behaviors surrounding organ donation among Hispanic women. Curr Opin Organ Transplant.2009;14(2):191–195.
13.
MorganSEMillerJKArasaratnamLA. Similarities and differences between African Americans' and European Americans' attitudes, knowledge, and willingness to communicate about organ donation. J Appl Soc Psychol.2003;33(4):693–715.
14.
SaleemTIshaqueSHabibN. Knowledge, attitudes and practices survey on organ donation among a selected adult population of Pakistan. BMC Med Ethics.2009;10:5.
15.
HydeMKWhiteKM. Young Australian adults' knowledge and beliefs about organ donation. Prog Transplant.2007; 17(3):220–227.
16.
BoinIDPalmieroHDKajikawaPZambelliHJ. Reviewing the causes for 1432 discharged liver donors: Can donations be increased?Transplant Proc.2009;41(3):797–798.
17.
KompanjeEJBakkerJSliekerFJIjzermansJNMaasAI. Organ donations and unused potential donations in traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid haemorrhage and intracerebral haemorrhage. Intensive Care Med.2006;32(2):217–222.
18.
SiminoffLAMarshallHMDumenciLBowenGSwaminathanAGordonN. Communicating effectively about donation: An educational intervention to increase consent to donation. Prog Transplant.2009;19(1):35–43.
19.
WestRBurrG. Why families deny consent to organ donation. Aust Crit Care.2002;15(1):27–32.
20.
MoraesBNBacalFTeixeiraMC. Behavior profile of family members of donors and nondonors of organs. Transplant Proc.2009;41(3):799–801.
21.
SimpkinALRobertsonLCBarberVSYoungJD. Modifiable factors influencing relatives' decision to offer organ donation: Systematic review. BMJ.2009;338:b991.
22.
RumseySHurfordDPColeAK. Influence of knowledge and religiousness on attitudes toward organ donation. Transplant Proc.2003;35(8):2845–2850.
23.
KleinbaumDGKupperLLMullerKE. Applied Regression Analysis and Other Multivariate Methods.2nd ed.Boston, MA: PWS-KENT; 1987.
24.
HosmerDWLemeshowS. Applied Logistic Regression.New York, NY: Wiley; 1989.
25.
BresnahanMLeeSYSmithSW. A theory of planned behavior study of college students' intention to register as organ donors in Japan, Korea, and the United States. Health Commun.2007;21(3):201–211.
26.
ConesaCZambudioRios ARamirezPCanterasMRodriguezMParrillaP. Socio-personal profile of teenagers opposed to organ donation. Nephrol Dial Transplant.2004; 19(5):1269–1275.
27.
ConesaCRiosARamirezP. Psychosocial profile in favour of organ donation. Transplant Proc.2003;35(4):1276–1281.
28.
HortonRLHortonPJ. Knowledge regarding organ donation: Identifying and overcoming barriers to organ donation. Soc Sci Med.1990;31(7):791–800.
29.
SiroisBCSearsSFJrMarhefkaS. Do new drivers equal new donors? An examination of factors influencing organ donation attitudes and behaviors in adolescents. J Behav Med.2005;28(2):201–212.
30.
ConesaCRiosARamirezPCanterasMRodriguezMParrillaP. Attitudes toward organ donation in rural areas of southeastern Spain. Transplant Proc.2006;38:866–868.
31.
HortonRHortonP. A model of willingness to become a potential organ donor. Soc Sci Med.1991;33(9):1037–1051.
32.
BresnahanMJMahlerK. Ethical debate over organ donation in the context of brain death. Bioethics.2010;24(2):54–60.
33.
ChenJXZhangTMLimFL. Current knowledge and attitudes about organ donation and transplantation among Chinese university students. Transplant Proc.2006;38(9):2761–2765.
34.
WuAMTangCS. The negative impact of death anxiety on self-efficacy and willingness to donate organs among Chinese adults. Death Stud.2009;33(1):51–72.
35.
LiPKTLinCKLamPKW. Attitudes about organ and tissue donation among the general public and blood donors in Hong Kong. Prog Tranplant.2001;11(2):98–103.
36.
YeungIKongSHLeeJ. Attitudes towards organ donation in Hong Kong. Soc Sci Med.2000;50(11):1643–1654.
37.
ShihFLaiMLinM. The dilemma of “to-be or not-to-be”: Needs and expectations of the Taiwanese cadaveric organ donor families during the pre-donation transition. Soc Sci Med.2001;53(6):693–706.
SkowronskiJ. On the psychology of organ donation: Attitudinal and situational factors related to the willingness to be an organ donor. Basic Appl Soc Psychol.1997;19(4):427–456.
40.
FeeleyTHServossTJ. Examining college students' intentions to become organ donors. J Health Commun.2005;10:237–249.
41.
AlvaroEJonesSRoblesASiegelJ. Predictors of organ donation behavior among Hispanic Americans. Prog Transplant2005;15(2):149–156.
42.
AldenDLCheungAHS. Organ donation and culture: A comparison of Asian American and European American beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. J Appl Soc Psychol.2000;30(2):293–314.
43.
SchulzPJNakamotoKBrinbergDHaesJ. More than nation and knowledge: Cultural micro-diversity and organ donation in Switzerland. Patient Educ Counsel.2006;64:294–302.
44.
MorganSE. Many facets of reluctance: African Americans and the decision (not) to donate organs. J Natl Med Assoc.2006;98(5):695–703.
45.
RubensAOlecknoWCieslaJ. Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of college students regarding organ/tissue donation and implications for increasing organ/tissue donors. Coll Stud J.1998;32(2):167–178.
YeatesKECassASequistTD. Indigenous people in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States are less likely to receive renal transplantation. Kidney Int.2009;76(6): 659–664.
48.
CassADevittJPreeceC. Barriers to access by Indigenous Australians to kidney transplantation: The IMPAKT study. Nephrology.2004;9:S144–S146.
49.
Australian Government.National Health and Medical Research Council. Organ and Tissue Donation After Death, For Transplantation: Guidelines for Ethical Practice for Health Professionals. 2007.http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/file/publications/synopses/e75.pdf. Accessed January 18, 2011.
